Where we can make a real difference

Looking at the most material, or relevant, issues we face and our sphere of influence in the travel sector.

GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL

Business travel is one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions. In fact, for many of our clients in the professional services sector, it can account for 60-80% of Scope 3 emissions – those indirectly generated by a business, such as their employee commutes, distribution network, supplier activities, material purchases and, of course, business travel¹.

At Reed & Mackay, all company air, rail and hotel CO2 emissions are monitored and measured via our carbon emissions dashboard and reported in R&M/Insights, part of our proprietary technology. The interactive dashboard provides a thorough and comparable summary of CO2 emissions per month, region and class of travel. These are then reported monthly to the Executive Team and reviewed to identify risks and opportunities for reductions.

The development work currently underway on our proprietary technology, as well as our investment into a SaaS CO2 management platform, will significantly improve our ability to control, report and analyse our travel emissions. These tools and insights will also contribute to the development of our near-term targets for emission reduction and supporting travel policy measures, which will both be finalised in this financial year.

Our business travel emissions in the last year were closer to, but still below, our baseline year (2019-2020) for the category.

Air, Rail & Hotels

Reed & Mackay’s Travel Policy encourages video conferencing for inter-office meetings and rail options or economy flights for external meetings.

R&M/Book – part of our proprietary technology – displays CO2 emissions at point-of-sale. The option to filter flight and rail options by the amount of CO2 it emits allows our employees to choose the most eco-friendly option. Additionally, R&M/Book recommends rail options for all applicable domestic flights and allows the booker to see the CO2 emissions they will avoid by choosing the rail option.

R&M/Book also labels Sabre’s Eco-Certified hotels. Each has been certified by a partner whose standards closely align with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council's criteria.

Company Vehicles

All Reed & Mackay vehicles are now leased hybrid electric vehicles. Mileage travelled in company vehicles is collated in our expense management tool and measured on a monthly basis. The latest DEFRA conversion factors are used to convert mileage to CO2 emissions.

Hired Vehicles

Our Travel Policy encourages public transport instead of taxis and hired vehicles. However, where hired vehicles are necessary, bookings are made, wherever possible, via car booking companies that have sustainability commitments in place.

Our UK Headquarters use FreeNow to book electric vehicles in London. FreeNow has pledged to ensure all vehicles on its UK app will be zero-emission capable by 2025, including all taxis by 2024. They are also committed to 100% of their trips being zero emission, by 2030, in all European cities.

OPERATIONS

Electronic Equipment

Reed & Mackay's Technology and Facilities departments prioritise energy improvements from procurement to operations and maintenance. This approach helps us to reduce energy consumption and minimise our carbon footprint, contributing to environmental sustainability. Reed & Mackay follows an end-of-life process for electrical equipment, ensuring we meet modern safety, environmental and efficiency standards. Considering energy improvements throughout the equipment's lifecycle also helps us to reduce operational costs and enhance equipment reliability, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.

We conduct due diligence on all suppliers used for sourcing IT equipment and other electrical appliances. This is to make sure all our suppliers meet our ethical and environmental standards and comply with applicable laws and regulations. Additionally, working with reputable suppliers helps us guarantee the quality and reliability of the equipment, reducing the risk of equipment failure and minimising downtime.

Cloud Computing

Reed & Mackay migrated from physical data centres to the cloud in 2022. The cloud means more efficient use of resources; scaling our computing needs up or down as required, avoiding over-provisioning and wasting energy on idle servers or data centres.

It also reduces the need to build and maintain our own resource- and energy-intensive data centres. Our energy consumption and carbon emissions are lowered thanks to cloud providers' energy-efficient infrastructure, advanced cooling systems and optimised hardware. The cloud also enables remote work, reducing the need for employees' commute and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

This year, we will explore ways of leveraging cloud energy monitoring and reporting tools to track and analyse our carbon footprint.

HQ FACILITIES

Reed & Mackay's Head Office in London is one of the biggest contributors to CO2 emissions from facilities. Our Head Office has been certified to ISO 14001 for more than a decade. Since then, we have developed a mature programme of CO2 reduction initiatives and continue to make improvements year-on-year. In 2022, we widened the scope of our CO2 reduction programme by onboarding a third-party carbon data management tool to assist with the collation of our global CO2 emissions data from 2019 to the present date. This is currently being progressed.

Energy Efficiency

Reed & Mackay's Head Office has a 'B' Energy Performance Rating. The electricity is on a 100% high-quality green tariff, meaning it is generated from 100% renewable sources.

We are committed to reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainable practices. One way we achieve this is by ensuring equipment such as printers, vending machines and monitors go into standby mode when they are left idle for a period of time. By doing this, we reduce unnecessary energy consumption and lower our carbon footprint. The use of standby mode also reduces wear and tear on equipment, extending its lifespan and reducing the need for replacement which, in turn, reduces waste.

LED lighting has been installed in work and communal areas. LED lighting is more energy-efficient than traditional lighting, consuming up to 80% less energy and lasting up to 25 times longer. Additionally, LED lighting is brighter, more uniform and less likely to flicker than traditional lighting, creating a more pleasant working environment for our employees.

We monitor our energy consumption using a SMART meter. SMART meters provide accurate, real-time data on energy usage, allowing us to identify areas where we can reduce consumption and improve efficiency. By tracking our energy use, we can identify patterns and trends, enabling us to develop strategies to reduce energy waste and lower our carbon footprint.

Office Materials and Supplies

Environmental due diligence is carried out with all of our office stationery and marketing product suppliers.

Printing statistics are monitored and reported on a monthly basis at our Head Office and employees are encouraged to print (double-sided) only when required. Access to colour printing is restricted to certain roles and functions.

Our Technical Services team continues to implement cloud-based resources, such as DocuSign, allowing electronic storage and reducing the need to print.

We carry out regular checks with cleaning contractors to ensure the use and disposal of cleaning products is compliant with environmental and health and safety legislation.

INTERNATIONAL PARTNER NETWORK

Headquartered in London, and with UK offices in England, Scotland and Wales, we also operate offices globally in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Chicago, Delhi, Dubai, Frankfurt, Madrid, Melbourne, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney and Toronto.

To provide clients with extended global coverage, we established the Reed & Mackay International Partnership, which extends our reach across 65 countries and 150 office locations. The Reed & Mackay International Partnership is a group of carefully selected corporate travel providers who operate as Reed & Mackay. Each brings a wealth of experience and in-depth travel knowledge from within their local markets. We conduct thorough due diligence on the selected partners to ensure they share our quality ethos and can operate under our IT infrastructure.

Waste

Our Head Office waste processes ensure no waste is sent to a landfill site. Recycling processes have improved with the introduction of three new waste streams. In addition to general, mixed recycling, confidential paper, sanitary and electrical waste (IT and domestic), we now have separate waste streams for food, glass and batteries. This improvement to waste segregation means each type of waste is treated appropriately, minimising environmental and health impacts and promoting the responsible use of resources.

We use the reduce, reuse and recycle hierarchy when managing our waste. We only work with reputable waste disposal companies that consider the environment during the collection and disposal process and comply with waste legislation. The relevant waste documentation is obtained for every collection and disposal, including Waste Transfer Notes, Hazardous Consignment Notes and Certificates of Destruction, where applicable. The Office Manager holds all these records on file. Other initiatives that have been implemented include:

Milk dispensers added to Head Office kitchens, removing the need for milk cartons
Avoidance of unnecessary items and packaging eg stir straws and individual packets of sugar, coffee and tea bags
Drinking water taps have been installed; no bottled water is provided
Office stationery, marketing materials and kitchen supplies are bought in bulk to reduce packaging waste
Motion sensor hand dryers are used in bathrooms; paper towels are not provided

Re-usable cutlery/crockery/cups provided, avoiding disposable options
When moving or opening new offices, Reed & Mackay re-uses office furniture wherever possible
Partners are encouraged to use on-site crockery and cutlery when providing refreshments at Reed & Mackay offices
When IT equipment is at end-of-life, our IT waste contractor ensures confidential data is destroyed and reuses the equipment wherever possible

Reed & Mackay carries out due diligence with all waste contractors to ensure office waste is recycled responsibly. The Head Office waste contractor has a zero-waste strategy and is committed to diverting all waste from landfill
Where IT waste cannot be reused or repaired, it is harvested for functional parts before being recycled
Recycling bins are clearly labelled and provide guidance on how to dispose of waste correctly
Plastic bottles of water in our reception and meeting areas have been removed and replaced with recyclable glass options
We’ve introduced three new waste streams at our Head Office. In addition to general, mixed recycling, confidential paper, sanitary and electrical waste (IT and domestic) we have separate waste streams for food, glass and batteries

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle

Abnormal & Emergency Situations

We have identified the potential environmental consequences of abnormal emergency situations in accordance with external and internal issues, expectations from interested parties and compliance obligations.

All potential emergency situations are logged on our Risk Register, which is regularly reviewed. Controls have been implemented to prevent or mitigate adverse environmental impacts. We have been certified to ISO 22301 since 2013.

Our Business Continuity Management System is designed to handle the adverse effects of any business interruption, including the adverse effects on the environment. Our Office Manager is responsible for assessing the environmental impact of an incident or crisis and applying the appropriate recovery method.

Water

As an office-based company, our water consumption is very low. However, processes are in place to reduce the amount of water we consume wherever possible.

Dishwashers are only used once they are at their full capacity. Regular water maintenance takes place in compliance with legislation to prevent leaks and contamination.

RESPONSIBLE PROCUREMENT

New Suppliers

Reed & Mackay expects all suppliers and other third parties performing services on behalf of our company to share our ethical and sustainability commitments.

All new direct suppliers (including sub-processors) undergo due diligence that takes the form of one or more questionnaires covering a range of topics.

These include: Information Security, Physical Security, PCI-DSS, Data Protection, Business Continuity, Corporate Governance and Quality, Health & Safety, Environment, Equal Opportunities, Diversity, Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption, Modern Slavery and Child Labour, Ethical Business Practices / Corporate Social Responsibility.

Due diligence also includes a credit check and review of policies, certifications, independent audit reports, independent penetration tests (including remediation follow-up) etc, as appropriate.

In addition, all suppliers must confirm they will adhere to our Supplier Operating Principles, which include clauses covering:

Anti-bribery and anti-corruption
Anti-money laundering
Modern Slavery (forced or compulsory labour; child labour; freedom of association & employee representation; non-discrimination & harassment; working hours; wages & leave; employment terms; health, safety & hygiene)
Environment
Resources, Skills and Competence
Social Media
Confidentiality
Information Security & Data Protection
Disclosure of Information to 3rd parties
Data Retention/Disposal
PCI-DSS
Licences and Insurance
Business Continuity
Quality Assurance
Conflicts of Interest, Politically Exposed Persons and Sanctions
Anti-Competitive Activity
Supply Chain Management

All new solutions undergo an Information Security Assessment, which covers security best practices, as well as requirements of ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, Data Protection and PCI-DSS.

Risk Mitigation

Risks identified during the due diligence or information security assessment are treated/mitigated and, if appropriate, submitted for approval to the Information Security Risk Committee prior to approval of the supplier/solution.

Risk mitigation may include the implementation of additional technical or organisational measures, identifying remediation plans, restricting certain use cases/functionality etc and/or imposing additional contractual requirements.

Supplier Reviews

Existing suppliers are reviewed on a periodic basis. The nature, scope and frequency of this review/assessment depends on a number of factors, including the product/service being provided and the supplier criticality.

Any suppliers providing a core technology or service, and all suppliers processing client personal data, are of a criticality level requiring at least annual review and on-going monitoring. This review/monitoring consists of:

Review of contractual and SLA performance/adherence
Identification of any material changes in Information Security, Data Protection or Business Continuity controls
Review of applicable certifications
Confirmation of continued compliance with our Supplier Operating Principles and Supplier Information Security Requirements
Follow up of any open remedial actions

On contract renewal or amendment (for example, for change of service), suppliers may be subject to a rerun of the full supplier/technology on-boarding due diligence.

OUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE IN TRAVEL

As part of a business with a sales volume of more than $6 billion in the corporate travel arena, we meet the needs and requests of our clients by helping them manage their travel expenditure as effectively and efficiently as possible. Almost every aspect of our purchasing capacity and, subsequently, its impact on the environment, is determined principally by our clients' purchases and policies.

Recognising this, we work hard to proactively drive our client choices and raise awareness of commitments, providing support through technology, policy and behavioural change advice. We also work to support wider industry initiatives to create a sustainable working blueprint across all business sectors and to publicise the efforts of our industry suppliers – airlines, airports, hotels, meetings and events venues, road transportation and rail companies.

With a history spanning more than 60 years and a reputation for service excellence and absolute integrity – along with our expertise in the high-profile law and finance sectors – we are considered as one of the most important opinion setters in the global travel marketplace.

Fred Stratford, Group CEO

As well as accepting regular invitations to speak at leading industry events, our Group CEO, Fred Stratford, sits on the advisory board of the International Air Traffic Association (IATA), which places us at the forefront of global discussions on all manner of travel industry topics.

Richard Boardman, Executive Director

The leading industry body in the UK is the Business Travel Association (BTA) and Richard Boardman (founding family member and current Reed & Mackay Executive Director) is the longest-serving member of the association’s governing board.

CLIENT EXPECTATIONS

With an increased awareness of corporate travel's impact on the environment, and a recognition that business can continue with a reduced reliance on corporate travel, many of our leading clients have already signalled an intention to reduce their carbon footprint to a greater or lesser extent.

Many have set Science Based Targets, which commit to a 30% or 50% reduction in their CO2 footprint by 2030. Alongside this, many have made commitments to the UN Global Compact (UNGC), joining thousands of other companies around the globe who want to take responsible business action to protect the planet.

UNGC's mission is to support companies doing business responsibly by aligning their strategies and operations with 10 universal principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. To help our clients meet their commitments we have enhanced the support we can offer them in measuring and reducing their CO2 footprint.

We have established our own SBTi commitments. In October 2022, we made a net-zero commitment with SBTi and this year will begin to develop our near- and long-term company wide emission reduction targets in line with climate science and the Paris Agreement. Once these are validated by SBTi we will continue to implement initiatives that keep us on track to achieve these ambitious goals. This not only helps us remain focused on our own net-zero targets, it assures our clients they are working with a travel management company that puts its sustainability plans into action.

In January 2023, we signed a partnership with SQUAKE – which powers accurate carbon calculations and provides tangible compensations of all travel and transport-related emissions – to make sustainable travel more accessible for clients through enhanced sustainability data. By providing deeper, detailed CO2 emissions and sustainability comparison data across air, rail, hotel and car hire, travellers will be able to assess the impact of their travel decisions and make smart selections at the point of sale.

MEETINGS & EVENTS

Sustainable events and group travel has moved from being a ‘nice to have’ to a necessity and is at the forefront of our clients' minds when booking. We're upskilling our staff and signing international pledges to ensure we are ahead of the game and best able to serve our clients with their eco-friendly and socially positive event planning.

We are also innovating and changing the way we report on our events, to provide our clients full carbon calculations to help roadmap improvements pre- and post-event. Reed & Mackay Events signed the Net Zero Carbon Events pledge at Cop27 in 2022. This initiative is hosted by The Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) the global umbrella organisation for the events industry and is supported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

At Reed & Mackay our dedicated Venue Find & Event Specialists know exactly how to find clients the right eco-friendly venue.

The typical credentials we look for are:

ISO 20121 | Awareness Training in Event Sustainability certificate
Lighting | Lots of natural daylight and the venue prioritising LED lighting
Recycling processes | Understanding how this is managed
Water waste management | Determine if the venue has any systems or processes in place
Heating and energy | Looking at elements such as Smart Room Temperature controls
Food waste management | Asking if they offer bowl food as opposed to a buffet to reduce waste, and find out what they do with leftover food
Sustainable menu | Determining if can they offer a vegan menu
Reduce plastics and paper | Does the venue have contactless check-in, hotel apps to access meeting rooms and no single-use plastics?
Sustainability tools | Asking if they can track and measure the use of CO2
What local initiatives are in place | Determining if they are working with local suppliers and communities
Training | How do they train their staff in sustainability?